The present disclosure relates to a sheet conveying device that is inserted in an in-body discharge space in an image forming apparatus, and to an image forming apparatus provided with such a sheet conveying device.
Conventionally, sheet post-processing devices are used that stack a plurality of sheets having images formed on them by an image forming apparatus such as a copier or printer and that can then perform processes such as a binding process, whereby the bunch of stacked sheets are stapled together, and a punch hole forming process, whereby punch holes (perforations) are formed using a punch hole forming device.
When such a sheet post-processing device is attached to a side face of an image forming apparatus, inconveniently, the image forming apparatus occupies an extra installation space as large as the attached sheet post-processing device. As a solution, an image forming apparatus is known in which a sheet post-processing device is slidably arranged in a space (in-body discharge space), inside its body, that is formed by a document reading section, a printing section, and a sheet feeding section.
A construction is also known in which an image forming unit is slidably supported on the main body of an image forming apparatus by a pair of slide rails and a support portion formed substantially parallel to the slide rails so that, when the image forming unit is inserted into the image forming apparatus, second wheels run out of grooves in the slide rails to permit the image forming unit to be arranged at a predetermined position.